Basil

Basil - A very unique male name

Basil appeared on the charts for the first time in 1911 on position #339. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Basil and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Basil? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Basil. The baby boy name Basil was given to 22 baby boys in 2025, ranking #2337 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 66,649 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Basil peaked in popularity 115 years ago in 1911 on position 339.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Basil, 1-5?

Basil is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Basil is currently topping the baby name charts in Tennessee at position #1,052 - and is the least popular in Texas at position #2,622.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Basil is where you live.

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Basil origin and meaning

Greek

From Greek Basileios, from basileus, 'king' — hence 'royal, kingly'

Basil came through the early Church: Basil the Great was a 4th-century bishop whose name spread across the Greek and Slavic worlds. In English it was a modest Victorian and Edwardian name, peaking in the US in 1924, and it is now rising again. English speakers must navigate the herb of the same spelling.

Attested etymology

Basil is a 5 letter name with 2 syllables.

To see famous people named Basil, pop culture references for the name Basil and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Basil

We've found the following names that sound similar to Basil, sorted by popularity.

Basilio / Buckley / Bacilio / Bexley / Bassel / Basel /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Basil

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Basil a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Basil?

2 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

BAZ-ul · /ˈbæzəl/

Around the world

• Basile (French) — The French form.
• Basilio (Italian) — The Italian and Spanish form.
• Vasily (Russian) — The Russian form, from the same Greek root.

Spellings and nicknames

• Basile — The French form, rarely used in English.

Famous bearers

• Basil the Great — 4th-century bishop of Caesarea and Church Father (330–379) Historical
• Basil Rathbone — South African-born actor famed for playing Sherlock Holmes (1892–1967) Historical

Style

ClassicInternational

Why parents choose it

A distinguished, slightly patrician name with real history and a small but genuine revival under way.

Worth knowing

• Identical in spelling to the herb; in Britain it is said BAZ-il.